Bair Island
Encyclopedia
Bair Island is a marsh area in Redwood City, California
covering 3000 acres (1,214.1 ha), and includes three islands: Inner, Middle and Outer islands.
Bair Island is part of the larger Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
.
The California Department of Fish and Game
's Bair Island Ecological Reserve consists of 1985 acres (803.3 ha) on the Middle and Outer islands, although the entire island
group is managed by the Refuge. Bair Island provides critical habitat
for a variety of species
, including the endangered California clapper rail
and the Salt marsh harvest mouse
, and is an important stop for bird
s on the Pacific Flyway
. An important part of South Bay ecology
, Bair Island has been discussed for decades as a prime area for conservation and restoration.
A residential development called South Shores had been proposed for the marshland, and approved by the Redwood City council, but a citizens referendum narrowly defeated the project in 1982. The Peninsula Open Space Trust purchased the property in 1996 and deeded the site to be part of the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge, and the Bair Island Ecological Reserve was established in 1997.
Restoration projects are ongoing and aim to restore the tidal wetlands environment, Bair Island is the largest undeveloped island in the San Francisco Bay and was used for farming, grazing and salt production since the 19th century.
Redwood City, California
Redwood City is a California charter city located on the San Francisco Peninsula in Northern California, approximately 27 miles south of San Francisco, and 24 miles north of San Jose. Redwood City's history spans from its earliest inhabitation by the Ohlone people, to its tradition as a port for...
covering 3000 acres (1,214.1 ha), and includes three islands: Inner, Middle and Outer islands.
Bair Island is part of the larger Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a US National Wildlife Refuge located in the southern part of San Francisco Bay, California. The Refuge headquarters and visitor center is located in the Baylands district of Fremont, next to Coyote Hills Regional Park, in Alameda County. ...
.
The California Department of Fish and Game
California Department of Fish and Game
The California Department of Fish and Game is a department within the government of California, falling under its parent California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Game manages and protects the state's diverse fish, wildlife, plant resources, and native habitats...
's Bair Island Ecological Reserve consists of 1985 acres (803.3 ha) on the Middle and Outer islands, although the entire island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
group is managed by the Refuge. Bair Island provides critical habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
for a variety of species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, including the endangered California clapper rail
California Clapper Rail
The California Clapper Rail is an endangered subspecies of the Clapper Rail . It is found principally in California's San Francisco Bay, and also in Monterey Bay and Morro Bay...
and the Salt marsh harvest mouse
Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse
The Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse , also known as the Red-bellied Harvest Mouse and some times called by Saltmarsh Harvest Mouse, is an endangered rodent endemic to the San Francisco Bay Area salt marshes in California. There are two distinct subspecies, both endangered and listed together on federal...
, and is an important stop for bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s on the Pacific Flyway
Pacific Flyway
The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south route of travel for migratory birds in America, extending from Alaska to Patagonia. Every year, migratory birds travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in fall, following food sources, heading to breeding grounds, or travelling to...
. An important part of South Bay ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, Bair Island has been discussed for decades as a prime area for conservation and restoration.
A residential development called South Shores had been proposed for the marshland, and approved by the Redwood City council, but a citizens referendum narrowly defeated the project in 1982. The Peninsula Open Space Trust purchased the property in 1996 and deeded the site to be part of the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge, and the Bair Island Ecological Reserve was established in 1997.
Restoration projects are ongoing and aim to restore the tidal wetlands environment, Bair Island is the largest undeveloped island in the San Francisco Bay and was used for farming, grazing and salt production since the 19th century.
See also
- Islands of San Francisco Bay
- Port of Redwood CityPort of Redwood CityThe Port of Redwood City is a marine freight terminal on the western side of the southern San Francisco Bay, on the West Coast of the United States. This marine terminal is situated within the city of Redwood City, California. The port was developed from a natural deepwater channel discovered in...
- San Francisco BaySan Francisco BaySan Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
External links
- "South Bay Challenge" Bay Nature magazine Oct-Dec 2004 accessed 16 Dec 2009